Despite the error in Simba's speech, Ma Tembo thanks him for his tribute to her father, Aminifu

After the flower ceremony, Simba gathers the herd to give his tribute. Ma Tembo announces the king, and Simba starts by recounting his friendship with Aminifu and how he will always remember the old elephant fondly. He attempts to give the standard elephantese tribute of "He had good on him," but accidentally says, "He had poop on him."

Though horrified at this turn of events, Simba begins to smile as the herd breaks into laughter. Ma Tembo explains that her father had always had poop on him and that it had made them laugh. She fondly adds that he had always made them laugh. When Simba still looks unsure, Ma Tembo thanks him for the tribute, and Simba comments that Aminifu had certainly had good on him. Ma Tembo agrees and playfully adds that he had had more poop on him.

We would be honored to hear your song, Your Majesty. —Ma Tembo to Simba

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Ma Tembo bows to the royal family

When the elephants hold their first concert of the season, Simba and his family resolve to be in attendance. Along the way, Simba gets trapped in a sinkhole, and Kiara and Nala are forced to go on without him. They witness the concert and praise the elephants after their song, but just then, Simba arrives with the Lion Guard, Pumbaa, and Timon. He apologizes to Ma Tembo for being late, and together, the group performs "Hakuna Matata".

While patrolling the Pride Lands, the Lion Guard notices several animals taking off in the same direction, including Ma Tembo. They follow the commotion to where Ma Tembo and a large group of Pride Landers have gathered beneath a tree. Mbeya the rhinoceros explains that the animals have gathered to see a troop of performing baboons.

Later, the Lion Guard hears Ma Tembo crying for help, and they follow her voice to where a tree has been completely stripped of its flowers and leaves. Ma Tembo declares that there is a food thief in the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard resolves to find the thief and restore order to the Pride Lands, and Ma Tembo leaves to let the Lion Guard inspect the tree further.

After Uroho, Mwevi and Mwizi are discovered to be the food thieves, Ma Tembo and several other Pride Landers line up to receive their food back. Uroho hands Ma Tembo a fruit, which she gratefully accepts. After all the food has been returned, the baboons put on another show for Ma Tembo and the other animals.

Physical appearance

Ma Tembo has the characteristic large and rounded frame of the elephant, with flappy ears, long legs, and a winding trunk. Unlike the other members of her herd, who are blue and gray in color, she is pale gray tinged with pink, with a lighter gray chest, toenails, and trunk tip. Her inner ears are a deeper shade of pink than her main body, and her eyelids are rimmed with dark gray. Like her father, Aminifu, she bears spots on her back, as well as three markings on her forehead. A patch of stunt brown hairs sticks up from her head, and one of her tusks is broken at the tip. Her eyes are a dark shade of blue.

Personality and traits

“

It's true. He always did have poop on him, and it always made us laugh. He always made us laugh. —Ma Tembo on her father, Aminifu

”

Ma Tembo is much like her father, Aminifu, in the sense that she is always game for a laugh. Even when Simba makes a mistake at her father's funeral, she is gracious and kind, and makes light of the situation by dwelling on the good. She is similarly gracious to Nala and Kiara when they are the only members of their family to attend the elephant concert.